Regional Workshop on Monitoring the Implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific (BMF)
Bangkok, Thailand, 13-15 October 2004

COUNTRY PAPER : AFGHANISTAN

Regional Workshop 
Monitoring the Implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Right-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific
13-15 October 2004, Bangkok, Thailand

Overview of persons with disabilities in Afghanistan

The overviewed of ministry of martyrs and disabled which is responsible for disabled affairs.

The affairs of disabled people were performing by the ministry of finance through department of pension. There was an office special part of disabled people special directory under the pension department.

In this time the number of disabled people was not too much, but the very limited disabled people were supported with a little salary from the pension department which was budgeting by the ministry of finance.

In 1984 when the Soviet Union attacked and occupied Afghanistan by the, the Afghan people began war against Russian.

Naturally the war put back many disabled people in the number of disabled people were increased day by day and year by year.

Now according to the statistical data the number of disables people is more than one million.

The increscent of disable person from 1984 up to 2001 there was changes in administration in every phase of the different government in order to solve their problems and good management and their affair the ministry of martyrs and disabled were founded.

In the frame work of this ministry their worked was reformed and the following information became.

1.    Afghan National Association of the Blind

This association which is heading by Mr. Ihsan Fayaz has many members in the capital and provinces; they are working for the welfare of blind people.

2.    Afghan National Association for Deaf.

This Association is heading by Mr. Karimullah and has a small school which contains about 50 deaf students.

3.    National Association for disabled women of Afghanistan.

This association is heading by Ms. Nafisa, it has 300 members and works for disabled women of Afghanistan.

4.    On the other hand the ministry of martyrs and disabled established offices for disabled people in all provinces performed the disabled activities.

Although the provinces don’t have enough budget for this purpose, but foreign agencies and institutional and private companies extend their hand to take part in help for disabled people in provinces.

• Secondly for their training many vocational courses such as tailoring, carpentry, carpet viewing, box making, jacket making etc…
• The ministry of martyrs and disabled put microfinance for disabled people to make them self sufficient and it was performed by revaluing loan.
• Many training courses such as computer skill, English  courses were established
• Welfare system the contribution of some institution extended there hence for disabled people and much material such as wheelchairs, clothes, food material jacket, shoes etc…

According to the constitution of law was established for the protection of their rights and dignity the following articles was provided.

Major Law and regulation for persons with disabilities:

Article Twenty-Two

Any kind of discrimination and distinction between citizens of Afghanistan shall be forbidden.

The citizens of Afghanistan, man or woman have equal rights and duties before the law.

Article Fifty-three

To regulate medical services as well as financial aid to survivors of martyrs and missing persons, and for the reintegration of the disabled and handicapped and their active participation in the society, the state shall adopt necessary measures in accordance with the provisions of the law.

The state shall guarantee the rights of retirees, and shall render necessary aid to the elderly, women without caretakers, disabled and handicapped as well as poor orphans in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Article Eighty-Four

Members of the house of elders shall be elected and appointed as follows:

1. From amongst each provincial council members, one individual shall be elected bye the respective council for a four year term;
2. From amongst district councils of each province, one individual elected by the respective councils, for a three year term;
3. The remaining one third of the membership shall be appointed by the President, for a five year term, from amongst experts and experienced personalities, including two members from amongst the impaired and handicapped, as well as two from nomads.

The President shall appoint fifty percent of these individuals from amongst women.

The individual selected as a member of the House of the Elders shall lose membership to the related Council, and, another individual shall be appointed in accordance with the provisions of the law.

According to the ministers councils of Afghanistan approved that 5 % five percent to the total official of the ministry disabled people should be employed in all the ministries of Afghanistan.

And the other side nearly five hand reeds lot of land was given from the Kabul municipality distribution for them in Kabul area. And their salary was fixed by low and regulation according to degree of disability the salary is given for each of them 300 up to 700 Afghanis.

Although the salary is not enough for them and they are more than but the government has finance difficulty and the government does not have much budget to increase their salary. During the follows decades the government will have financial support for them.

It is hopped that disabled people would has some support from the international and benevolent country to give them aid for their training to make them sufficient.

In this case the government will be relived from the compulsive salary so there for they wish fro international institutional private agencies and other friendly countries to extend their hand to help us.

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